Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1887-12-08
Introductory Sermon.
DELIVERED BY
Rev. j. HI. Barb

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ST. JOHNS LUTHERAN CHURCH
I MLCHAN1CsTowN, Nh.
NOVEMBER 30, 1886
TEYT::-Foy + determined not to
know anything among you, sane Jesus
Chr'st and Him cruc,6ed-1 Cor. 2. 2.
The occasion Of our meeting to-day,
in this holy temple, is invested with
grave and specific responsibility. We
are to break TO you, for the first time
as your pa1 tor, the word of life, and, as
contemplate this new and sacred rela-
ton, with the duties and obligations
which it imposes not only for the pres
ent occasion, but for all the future Of
our association, we turn to the great
apostle Of the Gentiles to discover, in
the words Of our text, the principle
which should suprcmely influence and
govern us III our intercourse with you,
and in all Of our ministrations.
We are profoundly conscious Of the
fact that, just in so far as we shall be
enabled by the help of Gods grace, to
approximate this inspired nodel,iust SO
far will our ministry among you be i'll
the line along which Gods blessings
flow.
But while we tremble beneath the
conscious weight Of the responsibility Of
the work upon wE:ch We this morning
enter, We wonld turn also to you for
help. We would that you shall not be
nnmindful of the fact that, BY your
adoption into the household of faith,
you haye been made kings and priests
unto God and art also in an immense de-
gree ambassadors for Christ. There
fore We would admonish you, with our
selves, concerning the principle by
which We are to be naturally governed
! in the discharge of our duties to God, TO
our fellow men and to each other.
There is imposed upon us, by virtue
Of our covenant vows, this one commls-
sion N common the duty Of watching
for souls. This duty is not to be per.
formed Just in so far AS it may be con.
yenient or pieasureable neither is 1t to be
discharged as souI]ess or perfu ctory
pastime, but on the contrary with an
abiding and acute sense OF the dread
fact that We ,nn:t watch AS they that
must give account.
/ Contemplating this responsibility, in
the awful hight Of the final Judgment
as it devolves upon me rs al ordained
am bassador for the Lord Jesus, and up.
on you as co laborers with Inc, we can
not but be almos, overwhelmed with
sci Sc of our inadequacy. In this state
We shall be besct with suggestions of
flight, and many other intimatlons
alike bewliering in their nature, but
alas! every effort of human nature to de
cline this duty will be vain, and the on
ly way out Of that which viewed from
human standpoint seems to be hopeless
despair, lie salong the way of provided
grace and. in the same measure that we
shall, under the educational influences
Of the means Of grace, realize our iosuf-
ficiencv. and appropriate the assisting
and quickenins grace Of Christ the
Great Divine Shepherd ; IN that same
measure shall we, IN our respective
spheres, discharge efficiently our duty
to the glory of God and to the elIf
cation of all by whom We are surround
ed. Let US Continually pray the Good
Shepherd that may, by the Holy Splr-
it, keep in our minds, in vivid freshness
our duty, not only to watch for, but to
watch as they that nsust 9lre account.
The spirit and principle which should
actuate and govern all the activities Of
our hearts and minds in our relation to
each other and to our common Lord,
are clearly and forcibly indicated in our
text.
lst. The determination, "For de-
terminra,' must possess the whole being
AS the source Of its initial and direct
ing power. The will is the executive
faculty of our being-The master-whee)
ofthe whole mental orspirltual machin-
cry, all the remaining functions Of our
being may be supposed to have been
developed in an extraordinary degree,
and vet, their ability and usefulness
would be conditioned by the power
which the will had required.
The true power of the will is not
measured, in matters intellectual or
by the inpulsive force which
It may exert, hut by the force which
rnsta in the will and that